Many of us use legitimate copies of Windows yet fail Microsoft's latest authenticity check software. This results in a stupid little icon in the task bar telling us every five minutes that our copies of Windows are illegal and to call the cops and turn ourselves in or risk becoming Bill Gates' towel boy.
I, for example, always delete the default windows installation when I get a new computer. I don't like dealing with all the crap that comes on Dell or HP machines. I like a nice clean Windows install without 50 billion icons trying to get me to sign up for AOL and who knows what else.

So I throw in an unattended install CD and come back half an hour later to a nice, clean system. The unattended install uses some key (who knows?) but the fact is I OWN a Windows license - because it came on my computer in the first place.

Many people have come to me asking how to get rid of WGA (especially people with whom I used my unattended install CD with). So for those of you stuck with retarded WGA notifications, here are some ways to get rid of it. When it first popped up on my computer I booted into safe mode and went nuts until it went away, but there are better ways of going about this.

1. To demonstrate their own stupidity, Microsoft has released a knowledge base article on removing WGA. Even
though this is require spyware software, they will let you uninstall it. Even if you're not interested in this, go look at the article, then ask yourself "Who the hell is running the show over there?" This is not an easy option as it takes a rocket scientist to figure out. If you go this route, check out this ZDNet article clearing up some of the confusion found in Microshaft's poorly slapped together article.

2. Demonoid.com points to a patch program that came out shortly after the WGA update. This will patch your computer to not have this crazy rootkit-like software.

3. The other option, if you have not yet received the WGA update, is to TURN OFF auto updates NOW. You can then install updates from autopatcher.com, picking and choosing which ones you want. This works just like Microshaft's update software except without the hassle and with more control over what is getting onto your computer.

As an end note, I would also like to point out that Microsoft is currently being sued for this WGA software they have released.

One more thing - just because you got rid of it doesn't mean this is over. There are some rumors thats Microsoft will be shutting off Windows PC's that fail to have WGA installed sometime this fall. I kinda doubt this is the case since they're being sued now, but don't say I didn't warn you. Take comfort in the fact that you'll probably get 30 days notification before you're shut down (if it ever happens).